The Chronicles of Narnia 1 (EdmundOC)
by Theocatkov
Summary: The Chronicles of Narnia with an additional character. 'Lavinia Finley was a perfectly normal girl whose life changes drastically late one night. She is delivered to the country, and whisked away to an adventure of a lifetime with daring sword fights and dashing princes.' Golden Age, but more to follow. Rated M just to be sure...
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** **Let me tell you a little about myself! This is my first fanfic, and of course, reviews are always appreciated. I'm writing this for fun, and because I bet there are a lot of people like me who want more Narnia out there. I'm also just making up the outline as I go along, so if you have ideas that you're dying to read, I can** ** _try_** **and add them in! I don't pretend to own the Chronicles of Narnia at all, though! All rights to go their respective owners. Anyways, thank you, and I hope you enjoy this! :D**

 _The production chose to make the children slightly older in the movie than they are in the book. According to the production, Peter is supposed to be 15, Susan 13 (going on 14), Edmund 12, and Lucy 8 – 9._

 **CHAPTER ONE**

 **Family**

Lavinia Finley was a perfectly normal girl, thank you very much. She liked blending in with a crowd, and thought she was very good at it too. She had discovered that if she did not say anything, no one would bother her, and that was perfectly fine with her. If her mother hadn't died from a broken heart, she would have disagreed, saying that Lavinia had simple beauty that one could easily overlook, which is why Lavinia could blend in, unless you looked closely. Up close, there was a smattering of freckles across her face, right under bottle green eyes and a smile that could make even the darkest of days seem bright. If you were lucky, you got to see the dimples that were elusively hiding behind a fringe of curly brown hair. Lavinia's brothers had spent much of their time making sure boys didn't look too closely at their younger sister-before they had gotten themselves killed in the war, along with her father, causing her mum's broken heart. Now it was only Lavinia and her older sister, Mary.

The front door closed, and Lavinia, who was making a thick cheese and onion soup for their dinner, tore her gaze away from the simmering cream.

"Mary?" She called, glancing at the clock.

It was six o'clock. Just about time for Mary to be coming home from her day time job. Lavinia was only ten, so she didn't have a job-yet. Her sister poked her head into the kitchen and Lavinia sighed when she saw yet another soldier walking towards Mary's bedroom. She might have been deemed too young to have 'the talk' yet, but she was old enough to understand what was going on.

"Lavinia!" Mary said cheerfully. "Are you sure you won't do it? I've been with this one before, he's very nice."

"Of course not!" Lavinia exclaimed, horrified, but then realized that her sister was teasing her when Mary broke into giggles.

Mary had grown desperate after their mother died. Every night, at least four different soldiers came to bed her. There were several lonely soldiers stationed in London because of the war. With her sister acting so foolishly, Lavinia had had to grow up-fast. Despite all of Mary's claims that she was fine, Lavinia could see how thin Mary had become, and there were strange sores on random spots of her body.

"You know, it won't hurt," Mary winked, but then grew serious. "I need you to get some groceries for me."

She handed Lavinia paper money, and slipped away. Lavinia was no fool. She knew was Mary was doing. Ever since that…day…Mary had gotten Lavinia out of the house whenever she had a man over. She still shuddered to think of it. What a grown man wanted to do with a ten year old girl, she would never know, but she was glad Mary had come home when she did. Shrugging on her long tan jacket, Lavinia stepped into the bitter London air. It was growing darker, and near nightfall, there would be blackouts, to make sure the Germans wouldn't bomb London. She knew Mary hadn't actually sent her out for groceries; she only wanted Lavinia out of the house for an hour. So she walked to the one place that she knew wouldn't question her-the park.

The trees greeted her like she was an old friend as she walked along the cemented pathway to an iron bench sitting in the middle of the forested park. The air was crisp; as it usually was, but Lavinia could taste winter on the way. She hugged her tan jacket closer to her body, and watched the clock tower slowly make its way around the sphere. It was the one thing that never was blacked out at night, and, somehow, the Germans had never hit it-yet. Some days, the one hour until Mary let her back inside took ages; other nights it flashed in the blink of an eye. Tonight, it seemed, the time would never pass. The air grew steadily colder and colder until Lavinia decided Mary could deal with her returning ten minutes early-she didn't want her fingers to freeze off. As she was walking back, she noticed the odd flickering red and blue lights reflecting off the stone walls of the apartment she and Mary shared. Her heart leapt into her throat and she broke into a run, though it was unseemly. Police officers were standing outside the door wearing grim expressions.

"No," Lavinia breathed, "Mary!"

She took the steps two at a time and when the police officers grabbed her arms, trying to restrain her, Lavinia burst into tears, calling for her sister. She should have known this was going to happen. She had lost everyone else, hadn't she?

"Hold on there, Miss," the police officer with his arms around her waist said firmly. "Where's your mum and dad?"

"They're dead!" Lavinia snapped, angrily brushing her tears away when the officer would not let her go. "They're all dead!"

She could see the officers glancing at each other in confusion. Then one stepped forward. He was younger than the rest with a kind, boyish face that hadn't yet been worn down by the deaths and tragedies. He knelt before Lavinia and took her hand in his. She imagined herself to him; foolishly young, with wild curls dangling helplessly to her chest. She must have looked pitiful.

"Little Miss," he said, and Lavinia was instantly comforted by the kindness of his voice. "Your sister's been killed."

Though she had already known it, hearing it confirmed made a strangled sob wrench itself from Lavinia's chest, and she stared at her brown oxford shoes.

"I know you've got no one else, but it just so happens that my grandfather is taking care of children in this war until things get sorted out. Would you mind that, Miss?" He asked, so tender and sweet. "He lives out in the country, has a big estate for a young lass like you to run around on. It's quite safe from the war."

Lavinia wiped away the tears on her cheeks, and looked at the man's eyes for the first time. They were electric blue and full of uncommon kindness-Lavinia wasn't used to such kindness.

"My name is Lavinia Finley," Lavinia whispered to the man. "And I'd like that very much."


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

 **Arrivals**

The police officer's grandfather lived far out in the country. Lavinia had fallen asleep several times on the train ride, and all the other children who were just now being evacuated had gotten off hours before Lavinia's supposed stop. When at last her station was announced, Lavinia grabbed her single bag and stepped onto the wooden platform. A bearded man was sitting on a bench in the shade, staring at the train. When he saw Lavinia hesitantly weaving her way through the crowd that was waiting to board, he got to his feet and smiled broadly, the corners of his eyes crinkling.

"Are you Miss Lavinia Finley?" He asked in a voice that made Lavinia feel safe and warm all over.

"Yes, I am," Lavinia's voice sounded small and pitiful compared to his.

The man smiled and offered her his hand.

"I am Professor Digory Kirke. I will be your caretaker," he told her.

Lavinia stared at the hand, and then at the man himself. He was old, that was certain, but how old, Lavinia couldn't tell. He wore golden spectacles set low on the bridge of his nose, and his white bushy hair was quite eccentric. But he had a kind smile, and Lavinia felt that she was going to like him very much. She took his hand and allowed him to accompany her to the horse and buggy waiting beside the station. It was odd, perhaps, as she was used to the automobiles that slowly made their way through the cobblestone streets of London, but she liked it nonetheless. When Lavinia had settled into the seat beside him, Professor Kirke shook the reins, urging the horses into a gentle trot down the gravel lane, leading her further and further away from the train station, and into the unknown.

The professor's house was, more accurately, a mansion. It was simply massive, with large amounts of ivy crawling on the brick walls and a front lawn as large as the park that Lavinia always visited in London.

"Do you like it, my dear?" The professor asked, noticing Lavinia's wide eyed stare.

"It's beautiful!" Lavinia exclaimed excitedly. "I've never seen anything like it!"

The professor let out a long sigh.

"I did, once, long ago. It's quite a story, actually, though I don't think you'll care to hear it," he told her.

But Lavinia wasn't to be deterred.

"Try me," she told him with a smile.

Professor Kirke drove the buggy up to the small building meant for such things, and handed the reins to a waiting stable boy. Then he offered his hand for Lavinia to take as she carefully stepped down to the ground with her bag in the other hand.

"There are four other children, all siblings, staying here, as well. Though they have seemed to mysteriously disappeared," Professor Kirke told her.

They entered the gloriously massive house, and he held his arms out as if welcoming her home. Lavinia's jaw dropped as she stared at the lavishly decorated room, with wonderfully designed rugs on the floor, and priceless artifacts lining the walls.

"Your room will be upstairs, the first door on the right. There are two girls amongst the four, and two boys. I hope you don't mind sharing a room?" Professor Kirke peered down at her from his spectacles.

But for Lavinia, who had shared everything for as long as she had been living, sharing a room with two _girls_ was like heaven.

"Not at all," she told him.

Professor Kirke nodded.

"Well, I suppose you can go and try to find the others. I will be in my study," he told her.

With that, he left the room, entering another through a hardly noticeable doorway in the left side of the room. Lavinia picked up her bag again and began her slow climb to the top of the stairs. She was still wearing her tan coat, with a green dress beneath it. The dress was perhaps a few sizes too big for her, but she had always received Mary's hand-me-downs. The floorboards creaked beneath her brown oxford shoes as she opened the door to reveal three beds. The two beside the window were already taken, so Lavinia placed her luggage down on the bed by the fireplace. She preferred that anyway. From her experience, sleeping beside a window meant waking up cold and stiff in the morning. Brushing her brown curls behind her ear, Lavinia stood up and wondered where she would find the other children-it would be awkward enough if the girls found her in their room. As she entered the drafty hallway, a strange warmth overcame her, as if there were a presence beside her.

 _'_ _Lavinia, daughter of Eve, I have need of you,'_ a deep voice said from the air.

Lavinia blinked and wondered if she were going mad. The voice chuckled as if it could read her thoughts.

 _'_ _No, my child. You are not. You will know me by name soon,'_ it said, sounding almost like a growl from a large cat.

 _'_ _I…I'm listening,'_ Lavinia thought hesitantly, still wondering if she were crazy.

 _'_ _The wardrobe in the middle room, on this floor. Enter through it. You are needed,'_ the voice purred, and then the warmth vanished.

Lavinia shook herself. She shoved her hands into the deep pockets of her long tan coat, and hurried through the darkened hallway until she found what she assumed was the middle room. The door was already slightly ajar, revealing the most massive wardrobe Lavinia had ever seen. She felt a strange pull towards the wardrobe and walked like her legs had a mind of their own towards it. A fierce lion was carved into the top of the wardrobe, roaring down at any who opened the door. Glancing around nervously-she had the strangest feeling she ought not to be there-her trembling fingers pushed down the handle and she stepped through.

At once, she was assaulted by darkness, and she cried out in fear. There was nothing around her, not coats, nor other clothes that would be hanging from a wardrobe.

 _'_ _Do not fear, Lavinia Finley. You will be older in this world than the one you just left. I have great need of you here. There is one who refuses to allow himself trust and love. You are the only one who can break his spell,'_ the same growling voice told her. _'Trust in me.'_

When her eyes opened, she was not ten anymore. Though it was mad, she knew that somehow, stepping through the wardrobe had aged her to be seventeen. She was not in the closet anymore. Instead, she was standing in the middle of an ancient forest that was very foreign.

 _'_ _Welcome to Narnia, dear one.'_


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

 **Narnia**

"What's Narnia?" Lavinia repeated, only to realize that the mysterious voice had vanished, leaving her completely alone in this strange land.

Sunlight filtered through the tree canopy, dappling the ground with the slivers of light that made it through the leaves. Lavinia got to her feet and took a hesitant step. The ground was soft, as if it had just rained. She walked towards the forest, away from her world. She didn't know who the voice was, but she believed it. How could she not? Before her eyes was proof enough. She was seventeen years old-and completely comfortable with her body, despite having aged seven years suddenly-and she was in an ancient forest that she had never seen before. This was some kind of magic, and Lavinia liked it very much.

As she walked further into the gnarled forest, Lavinia could hear the sounds of a rushing river. Immediately, she thought of the trips that her family had taken-before they had all unfairly left her, of course-and a smile was brought to her lips. Not one where her cheeks dimpled; that was reserved for the fullest of smiles, but it was a wider smile than she had had in a while. Following the sound of the water, she came before a surging river that sparkled clear in the sunlight. She had never seen such pure water before, and couldn't resist sinking to her knees and skimming her fingers along the surface.

"Hello, little girl," A snarling voice startled Lavinia.

She whirled around to see a massive wolf lumbering towards her.

 _'_ _Wolves don't talk,'_ Lavinia thought to herself; yet, there was not another soul in the area.

She backed away into the river as the wolf growled low in its throat and continued stalking towards her. A gasp tore itself from her throat as the wolf howled loudly, the animalistic noise echoing through the forest.

"I know who you are, girl," the wolf growled at her.

Lavinia's mouth dropped, but she fought to maintain herself. Inwardly, however, she was quivering with fear.

"Really? Because I'm not sure I know you," she told him, trying to keep a smile on her face.

The wolf snapped its jaws. Suddenly, from the darkness of the forest, two more wolves appeared, as if they emerged from the shadows themselves. Lavinia clenched her hand into a fist to keep it from shaking, but it didn't do much good.

"That's a pity. It doesn't matter, though, because you're going to die!" The wolf leapt at her.

Lavinia let out a yelp-she had never been able to scream-and dashed into the river. The water was up to her chest and she forced herself away from the attacking wolves. The largest wolf that had spoken was nearly on top of her and she kicked out at it, the heel of her shoe colliding with its nose. It yelped, and shrank back, but only for a moment. Seconds later, it was angrier than before. Lavinia kicked out once more, but this time the wolf ensnared her ankle in its jaw and bit down. Miraculously, Lavinia let out a scream of pain.

"Fall back, foul wolves!" A voice shouted.

A red tipped arrow flew past Lavinia's head and struck the wolf in the head. Lavinia froze as the other wolves dashed away, howling like children. She did not notice she was still standing until a strong hand grasped her arm, forcing her to look up.

"Are you alright, child?" The man said.

Lavinia flicked her gaze back down and her eyes widened to the size of dinner saucers when she saw that the man was half human, half horse.

"I-I-I…I have no idea," she whispered, hugging herself.

"Oreius, do you think she's the one?" A thinner voice said, and on Lavinia's other side, a half man, half goat appeared.

"I would think so, Fausus," the centaur named Oreius replied.

But before he could say anything more, Lavinia crumpled to the ground.


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR**

 **Kings and Queens**

"Edmund, you know you should dance," Peter said, gesturing to the gathered dignitaries enjoying the ball that Lucy and Susan had put together.

Edmund sighed, leaning against the side of his throne. It was nights like these that made him miss their early adventures in Narnia. Not that they were over, but there were significantly fewer of them since they defeated the White Witch.

"I have already, Peter," he reminded his older brother. "You're the one who hasn't danced."

"Oh. Right," Peter shrugged and sank back into his throne. "You ought to do it, so I don't have to."

Edmund snorted, raking his gaze over the crowd, full of silk, tulle and priceless jewels from foreign kingdoms. Eight years had passed since their coronation, and still, countless princesses from other countries were pressing themselves on Peter and Edmund. It was annoying, really. He'd much rather be out there, cutting down the remainder of the White Witch's army, but Susan had been absolutely furious that he would even consider such a thing. Lucy had been more understanding, but faced with the decision of siding with Edmund or the formidable Susan, she had; understandably, chosen Susan's stance. He sighed. At least his siblings were safe and…mildly happy. Peter enjoyed looking at the girls, and Lucy enjoyed making new friends. Susan was already talking to several foreign dignitaries that were looking at her with unabashed longing and adoration on their faces. Edmund scowled, and looked away. He hated to admit his jealousy, but there it was. Peter was never without a girl clinging his arm, and even Lucy had several magical creatures hanging on her every word. Yet, he, Edmund, sat in his throne and made sure no one did anything stupid.

As usual.

Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Fausus the Faun appear with an unusually grave expression on his face. Tapping Peter on the shoulder, Edmund rose, startling the simpering wench who had been speaking to him for the past hour about the color of her dress. He still wasn't sure what periwinkle was, and he wasn't likely to know in the near future. Peter started to tell Edmund to sit down, but then he too saw Fausus and politely excused himself to the girl at his throne. Edmund was already in the private balcony down the hall from the throne room when Peter caught up.

"What have you found, Fausus?" Edmund asked, peering at the faun's strangely worried face.

"I believe Queen Lucy's dream about another Daughter of Eve was correct," the faun replied nervously, twisting the beard on his chin.

Shock flooded Edmund's system. Another human from his world, here? Impossible. He glanced at Peter to see his brother's face betraying his surprised thoughts as well. Two days ago, Lucy had had a dream in which she had been visited by Aslan, foretelling the coming of another human who would break the darkness. They had thought the darkness was over when they had defeated the White Witch…

"Where is she?" Edmund asked, swallowing when the words hardly passed his dry throat.

They were unsure what the 'darkness' might be, but if the girl was true, then the danger was too. Edmund in particular was fearful of what dangers there were. Though his family had forgiven him for his past errors, he had yet to forgive himself.

"Right here, Your Majesties," it was Oreius who spoke.

Edmund looked at the centaur who pushed forward a slender girl appearing to be about Edmund's own age. Forced out from her hiding spot, her emerald eyes flittered up nervously to meet his and her face paled. When he gazed steadily back at her, she immediately seemed to shrink, pulling the damp tan coat closer to her body. There was no mistaking the clothes; they were from the day in age that Edmund and his siblings were from. A pang of homesickness washed over Edmund before he chased it away. Narnia was his home now.

"Why is she wet?" Edmund asked, then cursed himself for not thinking fully-a King should not be so blunt.

The girl flushed, but was shivering in the night. It looked like she had just stepped out of a shower fully clothed; her brown ringlets were saturated with water and her tan coat wasn't doing much to protect her from the nighttime chill.

"She was in the river," Oreius replied.

Edmund unclasped his blue and silver cloak, and stepped forward to place it around the trembling girl's thin shoulders. She flinched at his approach, and he frowned, but she seemed to relax as he laid the cape around her. Then he wondered why he had done such a personal thing to a girl that he scarcely knew.

"Why was she in the river, Oreius?" Peter's voice was sharp, the voice of a king.

Edmund could hardly tear his eyes away from the girl, but he did so once the centaur started to speak.

"She was being attacked by dark wolves, Your Highness," he replied.

Edmund scowled, his hand flying to the sword that he always kept strapped to the leather belt around his hips. He noticed the girl staring at the sword, and released his grasp on it, so as not to terrify her further than she already was.

"What are they doing in our territory?" Edmund demanded.

The very thought of the White Witch was enough to send him into a rage. He took a deep breath, and turned his thoughts to Lucy's dream. Perhaps this was the darkness that Aslan had spoken of.

"I am not sure, Your Highness. There have been increasing reports of Calormen and darker forces in our territories," Fausus replied timidly.

"Has her being here have anything to do with it?" Edmund jerked his head at the girl.

"I am not sure, but I would not be surprised," Oreius replied steadily. "She is innocent, Your Majesties. Never worry that. I would not have brought her here if she were working for them."

Edmund tensed as he looked back at the girl. If she were the reason for the sudden resurgence of evil in his lands…But she couldn't be. She was too frightened, too innocent to cause any kind of problem. He forced himself to clear his mind; thinking of the hundreds of other girls who had tried to befriend him or Peter. They had seemed innocent, but had only wanted power for themselves.

"Thank you, Oreius," Peter said, dismissing the two. "Leave her here."

Oreius and Fausus bowed deeply to the two kings before retreating down the balcony steps and into the inky night. As one, Peter and Edmund turned to the girl still standing before them. Her hair had dried a little in the time that they had stood speaking, but her clothes were still dark with water.

"What is your name?" Peter asked kindly, and Edmund frowned as he sensed the Peter-charm being turned on.

He bowed to hold her hand, placing a swift kiss on the top of her knuckles as he peered up at her with wide blue eyes.

"Lavinia Finley," the girl replied softly.

She looked away from Peter to Edmund, as if asking him to help her.

 _'Glad she knows when it's being laid on thick,'_ Edmund thought wryly.

Edmund laid a hand on his brother's arm as the elder took a step towards Lavinia. Immediately, Peter straightened up, releasing Lavinia's hand. She seemed immensely relieved, but wiped her face blank before Peter could see.

"I think we ought to let Lavinia get some rest," Edmund cut in before Peter could say anything more. "She is probably frightened and confused."

"Yes," Lavinia agreed, tucking her hair behind her ears.

Peter stood back and nodded, though he was clearly not happy to do so.

"Are there any spare bedrooms that you know of?" He asked Edmund.

There were, near their chambers. Edmund and the head of the security, a wolf by the name of Ragnar, had specifically left rooms near the royal chambers empty while the dignitaries were visiting. He didn't like the idea of having a stranger reside there, but there wasn't much harm that she could do-and she was clearly from their world anyway.

"Yes. You should go back," Edmund nodded to the throne room. "They'll expect you to say closing words and farewells anyway."

"Shouldn't you-"

"I always leave them early anyway," Edmund interrupted before Peter could continue.

His brother sighed heavily and walked away, leaving Edmund alone with Lavinia Finley.


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER FIVE**

 **Confusion**

With the departure of Peter, her shoulders relaxed, but not all the way. It was as if she expected him to attack her. He couldn't say that he blamed her; after all, upon entering his world, she had been attacked.

"Are you alright, milady?" Edmund asked quietly, noticing how her eyes studied everything as though she were committing it to memory.

She started at the sudden sound.

"Y-yes. I am. I'm just rather…confused," she admitted.

Edmund nodded curtly. There was something about this girl that was…disarming. She was enchanting and wasn't trying and he didn't like it. It was almost like being under a spell-and he had enough experiences with witches to last a lifetime. Trying not to blame her for the enchanted feeling, he forced a smile on his face.

"Shall I show you to your room?" He questioned.

"Please," Lavinia agreed eagerly.

She smiled hesitantly at him, and he gestured for her to follow him back into the castle. He avoided the throne room-he knew the kind of gossip that tended to follow a king returning with a mysterious girl, and that wasn't the kind of gossip they needed, not with Calormen breathing down their necks. He suspected their presence had something to do with Rabadash. The Calormen prince had been trying to court Susan for years now and each time he advanced, Susan refused him. The last time, he had tried to attack, and Aslan had turned him into a donkey. The Calormen were, to put it simply, not pleased.

"This place is massive," Lavinia whispered behind him.

He turned around, halfway up the stairs leading to the royal chambers, to see Lavinia paused in the hallway. She was standing at the bottom of the stairs, staring at the elegant architecture around her. Moonlight poured in through the paned glass window set high in the wall of the dome room, turning her chocolate curls more of a honeyed brown. It was as if the light were giving her a crown. She was beautiful-but then again, the White Witch had been beautiful, and he had fallen for that trick. The girls in the throne room were beautiful too, hiding their greed and lust for power behind the elegant masks. Edmund cleared his throat and looked away. The guilt he felt after comparing her to the White Witch angered him. Weren't they all the same?

"Come on, Lavinia," he said, pushing all his thoughts away.

He didn't want to consider any of them. Soft footsteps behind him signaled that Lavinia had climbed the stairs. Down the hall they went, the marble walls illuminated by moonlight and the few sparse torches hanging down. Edmund picked the room that was flanked by both kings-that way, should she prove to be foe, rather than friend, they would be able to deal with her quickly. He opened the heavy oaken door, and held his hand out for her to enter. She did so, amazement once again overtaking her face. He tried to imagine it from her view-it was more than likely the most elegant thing that she had ever seen, though he had seen it probably about a thousand times. White marble walls encircled the room, except for the one facing the west, where the ocean could be seen glittering like a jewel in the moonlight through the arching window. A large four poster bed was situated beneath the window, and along the northern wall was a wardrobe-though it was probably empty. But the luxurious vanity, the massive bed and the intricately designed wardrobe-none held her attention like the ocean did. She set her elbows on the windowsill and gazed out at it like she had never seen something so vast and beautiful before.

"I'll have Susan or Lucy bring some clothes for you," Edmund said, noticing that her current clothes were far too modern and far too damp to wear.

"Who?" Lavinia asked, turning around to face him.

Edmund found himself nose to nose with her, having unconsciously moved closer to her when she was stargazing. Her eyes widened and he stared into their emerald depths, captivated by the swirling color. Then, he heard footsteps, and backed away swiftly, standing near the doorway.

"My sisters. Susan and Lucy," he replied, trying to keep his voice neutral.

Lavinia nodded, and looked down at her hands. She seemed immensely saddened, and Edmund wished he could cheer her up, but there was nothing he could do that wouldn't make him deeply uncomfortable.

"What is your name?" Lavinia asked suddenly, still looking down at her hands.

"King Edmund the Just," Edmund replied promptly; used to having to introduce himself.

Lavinia's head snapped up. Edmund watched her curls bounce with the movement and almost smirked.

" _King_?" She asked incredulously with eyes wider than the dinner plates they served to the Minotaurs.

"Yes," Edmund replied, watching as Lavinia sank onto the bed, her face paler than it had been when he'd first met her.

When her face was so pale and her cheeks flushed, she reminded him of a porcelain doll sitting on a shelf, just waiting to be broken.

"I don't think I understand at all," Lavinia muttered, twisting the ends of her chocolate curls.

Edmund had to fight the urge to remove Lavinia's hand from her hair and enfold it in one of his. It was an instinct, nothing more, he tried to tell himself. She was nervous and scared and he was supposed to bring be peace of mind to his subjects. Not that he was ever any good at that.

"I'm sure Lucy will be willing to explain it all to you tomorrow," Edmund told her, now feeling even more uncomfortable.

He had never wanted to comfort the other girls at court before. Bowing low as a farewell, Edmund shut her door and escaped to his room.

By Aslan's mane, she was beautiful. He kept seeing her apprehensive half-smile, even as he crawled under the covers of his bed, no matter how hard he tried to shut his brain down. And if Lucy's dreams were right, then she served a greater purpose here than any of them really knew. But the girl had brought upsetting news with her…maybe that was what she was intended to do? Reveal the evil that still lurked in their land. Edmund shook his head and turned over. Perhaps it was all a dream...


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER SIX**

 **Introductions**

The sun's sleepy rays draped over Lavinia's face, and she slowly sat up, stretching her arms to the ceiling as she yawned.

 _'_ _I had the strangest dream last night,'_ she thought to herself, blinking blearily to get the sleep out of her eyes.

When the room came into focus, she nearly screamed. It had not been a dream. It had been real life. She was in a medieval castle with medieval Kings and Queens, talking wolves, fauns and centaurs; the sort of things that existed only in fairy tales. The clothes hanging from her frame weren't hers; it was a white nightgown with lace on the bottom hem, and she wasn't entirely sure how it had got on her. Lavinia swung her legs out of the bed, and yelped softly when her bare toes came into contact with the cold stone floor.

"Lavinia?" There was a knock on the door, and she didn't recognize the voice.

"Yes?" Lavinia's voice was soft, but the voice on the other side had heard and the door opened to reveal a girl that looked nearly Lavinia's age.

Her hair was light brown and fell to her shoulders, though there was a silver crown set upon the acorn waves. Lavinia wracked her brain, trying to remember if she knew this girl. She looked like no one Lavinia had ever seen before. Though she carried herself with royal grace, she had a free-spirited air about her.

"I'm Queen Lucy," the girl flashed a toothy smile at her that betrayed her youth.

She gazed at Lavinia with clear blue eyes, clearly waiting for a response. Lavinia stared back, completely at a loss.

"Lavinia Finley," Lavinia replied finally.

Queen Lucy's face split into a radiant smile.

"That's a beautiful name. Lavinia Finley. I love it," Queen Lucy said, sitting on the edge of Lavinia's bed and studying her. "I see my clothes fit you."

Lavinia looked down at the nightgown and ran a hand quickly through her wild curls, untangling them from their nighttime adventures.

"I…yes. Thank you," Lavinia said, noticing the brown satchel that was slung over Queen Lucy's shoulder.

Queen Lucy pushed the bag towards Lavinia, who was alarmed at the heavy weight concealed within the bag.

"There are clothes in there; Susan and I rummaged some up for you. We can't have you walking around in modern clothes, now, can we?" She beamed at Lavinia, who was alarmed at the amount of positivity emanating from the girl.

Lavinia opened the bag and gazed down at the beautiful gowns with an open mouth. Everything here was so…medieval. From Kings and Queens to castles and shining armor…

"Where am I?" Lavinia asked, still studying the silken dresses. "What is this place?"

"You're in Narnia," Queen Lucy replied, as if that should clear everything up.

When Lavinia lifted an eyebrow in confusion, Queen Lucy's cheeks flushed bright red and she hurried to explain.

"Oh! Right, I forgot! You're from our world!" She exclaimed and Lavinia nodded once, though she hadn't been aware that there were other worlds. "Well, Narnia is a magical place, full of talking beasts and mythical creatures that everything thinks are just from fairytales."

"But they're not," Lavinia said, remembering the faun and the centaur who had rescued her from the wolves the previous night.

She was trying not to hyperventilate in front of the Queen. The only reason she believed what Queen Lucy was saying was because she had seen it herself first hand. Before her sat a Queen, and she had seen the talking animals.

"No, they're not. Everything is quite real here," Queen Lucy agreed.

She stood up gracefully from Lavinia's bed and looked out the window to the glittering expanse of the ocean.

"You ought to get dressed. I'll give you a tour!" Queen Lucy told her giddily.

Lavinia nodded, and Queen Lucy left the room, shutting the oaken door behind her. Grabbing one of the gowns at random, Lavinia shimmied out of her nightgown. The gown was dark green, with brown hemming along the trumpet sleeve and the front of the dress. If Lavinia was vain, she would have admired how the green of the dress matched her eyes exactly and that, combined with her dark brown curls, made her look like some kind of forest princess. But she paused only to make sure that her curls were tame, and opened the door. Queen Lucy was waiting for her, and once Lavinia shut the door behind her, the younger girl took Lavinia's arm and swept her down the marble hallway.

"This second level floor is where all our private chambers are. At least, on this western end, facing the ocean. The other side, which is separated by doors that lock, are chambers for guests," Queen Lucy told Lavinia, who was studying the arching ceiling.

They continued walking down the corridors. In the silence, Lavinia gazed at the very detailed carvings in the walls. It was almost as though someone had spent their entire lives working on the tiny details that hardly anyone noticed.

"Why aren't I in the chambers for guests?" Lavinia questioned, lingering at a statue shaped as a lion.

"Well, we have a lot of dignitaries here for Susan's ball that she had last night. Peter and Edmund have been trying to get on the Calormen's good side ever since Aslan turned their prince into a donkey for trying to kidnap Susan and force her to marry him," Queen Lucy said as if this were an everyday occurrence.

"Oh, right, of course," Lavinia said softly. "A prince was turned into a donkey."

Queen Lucy raised her eyebrows at Lavinia as they descended the stairs to the massive room that King Edmund had escorted Lavinia through the previous night. In the daytime, it was not as menacing as it had been, but Lavinia still felt overwhelmingly miniscule compared to the massive architecture.

"This is the main hall," Queen Lucy announced. "Through the doors ahead is the throne room that we use as a ball room too."

The door was slightly ajar and Lavinia could see four thrones in a line on top of the marble dais overlooking the room.

"The doors to the left lead to a kind of conference room," the younger girl continued, waving her arms around to point to each room. "We receive people with complaints or pleas for help."

"Are there a lot of those?" Lavinia questioned.

Queen Lucy giggled and gestured for Lavinia to lean closer.

"Most of them are just girls looking to meet Peter or Edmund," she whispered. "They get a lot of admirers."

Lavinia laughed along with Queen Lucy at the thought of girls trying to flirt with the Kings.

"Queen Lucy!" A regal voice called, echoing off the marble walls.

The girls instantly sprang apart, and Queen Lucy turned to face the same centaur that had rescued Lavinia the previous night. He had a sword hanging from each hip, and his chest was covered in leather armor. Beads of sweat glinted off his forehead as he bowed to the small Queen.

"Yes, Oreius?" Queen Lucy asked, sounding less like the young girl that Lavinia had been speaking too, and more like a Queen of Narnia.

"Your brother asks that you join him in the training field. He says he wants you there 'in case'," Oreius replied.

Queen Lucy rolled her eyes, but Oreius gazed steadily at her, waiting for a response. To Lavinia, it seemed as if he were prepared for a battle.

"Oh very well," Queen Lucy sighed when it was apparent that Oreius would not leave. "Lavinia, follow me. Duty calls."

The sun was shining brightly on the massive gardens outside of the castle. Lavinia could smell the sickly sweet honeysuckle growing along the pathway Queen Lucy was leading her down, as well as hundreds of flowers that Lavinia had never before seen. The mixture of them all was quite heavenly, and Lavinia smiled. Then she heard the sharp screeching noise of metal hitting metal and the vision of heaven was ruined.

"This is the training field. I think Edmund is here almost daily," Queen Lucy rolled her eyes. "I wonder who he's taking on, since he wants my healing cordial present."

They stood at the top of the hill, looking down at an amphitheater style training field. The ground was brown dirt, and stone seats were wedged into the grassy hill, as if they watched fights for enjoyment. In the center of the training field was a young man, clad in silver armor and a scarlet tunic with a golden lion emblem sewn into the chest. The man held a long sword in his hand and he was crouched as if preparing for a fight. A faun stood opposite him, wearing leather armor and had a slightly shorter sword. Both were sweating as if they'd been fighting for hours.

"Healing…cordial?" Lavinia repeated as they descended from the hill.

"It heals most wounds," Queen Lucy told her.

Lavinia stopped walking and stared after the younger girl. She could heal wounds? Her heart ached as she thought of how she could have used that back in London, if the officers had let her see Mary. Was it enough to bring people back from the dead?

"Are you coming, Lavinia?" Queen Lucy called, startling Lavinia from her reverie.

"Yes, sorry!" Lavinia replied.

She lifted her skirts and hurried down the path after Queen Lucy, who was standing at the edge of the training field. When Lavinia joined her, the dark haired boy disarmed the faun and held his sword to the goat man's neck. She gasped, fearing that he would injured the faun, but instead, the boy held out his hand and helped the other to his feet. The faun bowed low and limped away to the wooden building at the end of the field. The boy sheathed his sword, and began making his way towards Lavinia and Queen Lucy.

"Edmund," Queen Lucy beamed, reaching for her brother who enveloped her in a tight hug. "Have you met Lavinia?"

King Edmund released his sister, and turned his brown eyed gaze to Lavinia. He towered a good foot and a half over Lavinia but bowed low to her. To her relief, he didn't try to kiss her hand like his brother had the previous day.

"I have," King Edmund replied, and his cheerful voice sounded forced. "Lucy, do you have the healing cordial?"

"Yes, but why-"

Lucy trailed off as King Edmund jerked his head in the direction that the faun had taken.

"I think I banged Fausus up more than I intended. He's a good sport, he won't say anything, but I didn't miss the blood on the ground after he fell," King Edmund replied.

Lucy's face instantly turned into an expression of worry, and she dashed away, leaving Lavinia and King Edmund standing beside each other.

"Will Fausus be alright?" Lavinia asked, more to break the awkward silence than anything else.

King Edmund looked away from the direction that Lucy had run and fixed his cognac eyes on Lavinia.

"He will be," he replied shortly.

Lavinia fell silent. King Edmund was stiff, as if standing near her made him uncomfortable. So Lavinia began to walk away, hoping to walk among the flowers and learn their names. As she did so, she heard King Edmund's armor creak as he followed her. She ran her fingers along a dark blue flower that protruded from the wall of bushes that formed a wall around the training field. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw King Edmund watching her with one hand on his sword handle. The thought that he clearly was waiting for her to turn on them was annoying, and she was desperate to prove him wrong.

"What's this one called?" Lavinia asked, still touching the blue flower.

"Everbriar," King Edmund replied. "Supposedly heals a broken heart. According to legend, anyway."

"Everbriar," Lavinia repeated. "What I wouldn't give to have that in my world."

King Edmund grunted in response. Lavinia deflated at his lack of interest and let out a long sigh, hoping Queen Lucy would return soon so they could continue their tour. She glanced at the wooden building that Queen Lucy had vanished into.

"I don't think Lucy will be coming back for a while," King Edmund told her.

"Oh. Well, I suppose I'll just…er…well, I'll go back to my chambers then," Lavinia replied, eager to escape his icy demeanor.

He didn't try to stop her as she walked around him and hurried back up the path towards the castle. She was fairly certain that she knew where she was going, but at the same time, this was a foreign land. Once she was back in the castle, she hesitated. The door to her right she was fairly certain led to the throne room…but she couldn't remember her way back to the royal's sleeping quarters, where her room would be.

"Are you lost?" A regal voice rang out through the massive hall, and Lavinia jumped at the sudden noise.

She turned to see King Peter, dressed in the deep scarlet color that King Edmund had also been wearing, striding towards her. A large golden crown, with garnets embedded in it, sat on top of his wheat-like hair. He held himself with the utmost poise and elegance as he slowly approached, a smile on his face. So, of course, Lavinia immediately blushed when she realized the King was talking to her.

"Er…yes," Lavinia admitted, sighing. "I thought I could find my way back to my room, but it seems that I didn't remember it as well as I'd thought when Queen Lucy led me through here."

King Peter chuckled warmly.

"It _is_ a little confusing," he agreed. "When we first came here, I thought we'd never figure it out. But we have, and you will too."

"You say that we're from the same world," Lavinia said slowly, "and imply that you haven't always been here…how is that so?"

"It is a long story…" King Peter warned, "But it is one that I am willing to share."

Lavinia smiled at him, and took the arm that he offered.

"I am willing to listen," she told him as they set off towards a part of the castle that Lavinia had not yet been introduced to.

And so the King launched into his story of how the four of them had been shipped to Professor Digory Kirke's house as a result of the bombings in London. When she realized that they were the children Professor Kirke had mentioned, she was positively shocked.

"Wait-you mean to say that you're children, back in our world?" Lavinia asked eagerly. "I am as well! I also was sent to Professor Kirke's house; he said that there were four others staying there."

King Peter stroked the tiny hairs at the base of his chin, looking deep in thought.

"Well, it sounds as if no time at all has passed," he said thoughtfully. "We've been here for eight years."

" _Eight years_?" Lavinia exclaimed. "That's…crazy."

"Perhaps," King Peter shrugged. "Would you like to hear the rest of the story?"

Lavinia nodded, and he continued, telling of the White Witch and how Edmund found himself in her service. The King skated over that part in the story, saying that it was not his place to tell it, and finished with the Battle of Beruna.

"That is quite the tale," Lavinia said quietly.

They had been walking during King Peter's story, and she was surprised to see that they were standing on a balcony, with the five thrones behind them. She imagined that her room must be right above this grand hall, for the view of the ocean was the same; a glittering jewel of blue beneath the cheerful sun.

"Indeed," King Peter agreed, his voice just as soft.

Suddenly, the doors to the throne room were thrown wide open and Oreius the centaur loped in.

"Your Majesty, the White Witch's old followers are advancing on Chippingford."


End file.
